I came up with this mechanic for a one-shot I'm going to run, to see if it works. In the one-shot, all characters were required to have at least one level of Rogue (they are all special agents for the queen). It will work great against guards and such, but won't out-and-out kill the boss, IF I were to allow them to sneak up on him.
STEALTH KILL - Yes, I am allowing this, but with the following constrictions:
Can only be done with a dagger, and it CANNOT be thrown. This attack will only work by slitting a victim’s throat with a dagger-type weapon. Obviously, this attack will not work against a creature that has no neck.
The victim must be totally unaware of your presence. If they know you are in the area, you can make the attack but there will be no additional damage.
You must come at them from behind.
A stealth roll against a DC of the victim’s passive perception +10 (+8 if you are a rogue, +4 if you are an assassin rogue) must be successful. If you do not succeed with this roll, the victim still doesn’t know you are there (unless you totally biffed the roll) but you cannot add the additional damage. After the attack, if the victim is still alive, “roll for initiative.” Generally, I will not tell you what a character’s passive perception is before an attack is made.
If all succeeds, you can add +50 to the damage caused by the attack. You are able to accomplish this attack without alerting anyone else in the general area, unless they are looking at you when you make the attack.
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From when D&D wasn't cool, but we played it anyway. I got started when some geeky guys where I worked invited me to play with them and I gave it a try. My first character was a human cavalier named Tara the Giant Killer. We used to play once a month on a Saturday. We would start at 7 or so in the morning, and quit somewhere around midnight. Fun times and fond memories.
I would also rule that they must spend one round 'investigating' the target from no more than 30 ft away. You have to know exactly how he is moving, etc. to kill him.
From when D&D wasn't cool, but we played it anyway. I got started when some geeky guys where I worked invited me to play with them and I gave it a try. My first character was a human cavalier named Tara the Giant Killer. We used to play once a month on a Saturday. We would start at 7 or so in the morning, and quit somewhere around midnight. Fun times and fond memories.
If you actually break down what HP and AC means in the game, then anyone can perform a "Stealth Kill" or insta-kill in most situations so long as conditions are fulfilled. In other games, this was termed a Coup de Grace but in 5e there are mechanics built in that can be used and adapted for certain situations.
As written, characters that are Incapacitated, Paralyzed or Unconscious or Dying. All attacks are done with Advantage. Melee hits are Automatic Critical. Targets take two death Fails when it with a Critical Attack while in the Dying state.
From this, can we infer that the Creators intended these states to be deadly to be in. That having these befall you or anyone else is to be at death's door. Without over-complicating rules that negate AC, rules are put in place that would permit AC to be effectively overlooked. Moreover, the right situation would make the death absolute.
Anything else would need a damn good reason why a person with a knife to someone's throat can't slit their throat open and kill them.
It's my advise to not make your players jump through hoops. If they act in a way that would make sense, then let them make the instant kill. Don't want them to? Then give a good reason why not. For example: Chainmail is very hard to cut through and most people would wear a chain mail coif that covers their head and upper shoulder regions leaving only their faces exposed. You would need a very specific set of instances to cut through it.
On the other hand, if a player restrains someone by getting their arms or hands around the person's head or neck (and it makes sense with their Str or abilities) then them being able to snap the person's neck have to be a given. They have the absolute advantage. Don't force them to widdle down HP.
The situations I"m specifically covering deal with sneaking up behind someone, or someone who is sleeping, and slitting their throat. There are a great many situations where I'd have to change the mechanic to involve those differences.
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From when D&D wasn't cool, but we played it anyway. I got started when some geeky guys where I worked invited me to play with them and I gave it a try. My first character was a human cavalier named Tara the Giant Killer. We used to play once a month on a Saturday. We would start at 7 or so in the morning, and quit somewhere around midnight. Fun times and fond memories.
I think this is a case where you're letting combat mechanics get in the way of things that aren't really combat. These actions would just be a stealth check in my campaign. If you succeed - dead. If not - initiative.
And the next day any surviving guards are at the armorer getting gorgets made.
I can't decide if a stealth kill should be more thematic or mechanical. One thing that would have been interesting is if they would have created more conditions that allow critical hits or damage bonus modifiers.
I believe the issue might be that people forget stealth kills are just fine by itself. A level 1 pc can stealth kill a commoner pretty much guaranteed. A level 1 rogue can sneak attack kill up to bandits, nobles, guards, cultists, and acolytes. But it's important to remember the other humanoids are professionals and a level 1 PC is just an amateur. A gladiator could get directly hit but moved his neck just in the nick of time to avoid anything fatal, it may only hit his clavicle. Even a priest is a 5th level spellcaster, meaning a priest can be considered "A Hero of the Realm."
That's not to say a rogue dedicated to insta-killing, an assassin, can't instakill above their paygrade. Crits double sneak attack, dooming even the professionals at level 3. Sneak attacking a sleeping NPC is also an autocrit and usually kills them.
If you're struggling to figure out how a sleeping NPC can avoid getting their neck slit, imagine they wake up and attempt to move after hearing the rogue first attempt the attack. He gets hit, but he moved enough to prevent the otherwise fatal attack.
One thing we keep in mind fof my gaming group is: If your characters can do it, so can an NPC. As a matter of fact, the most trouble we've ever been in was getting ambushed by a Group of Goblins that got Surprise, Advantage and Crits against our sleeping party members.
I believe the issue might be that people forget stealth kills are just fine by itself. A level 1 pc can stealth kill a commoner pretty much guaranteed. A level 1 rogue can sneak attack kill up to bandits, nobles, guards, cultists, and acolytes. But it's important to remember the other humanoids are professionals and a level 1 PC is just an amateur. A gladiator could get directly hit but moved his neck just in the nick of time to avoid anything fatal, it may only hit his clavicle. Even a priest is a 5th level spellcaster, meaning a priest can be considered "A Hero of the Realm."
That's not to say a rogue dedicated to insta-killing, an assassin, can't instakill above their paygrade. Crits double sneak attack, dooming even the professionals at level 3. Sneak attacking a sleeping NPC is also an autocrit and usually kills them.
If you're struggling to figure out how a sleeping NPC can avoid getting their neck slit, imagine they wake up and attempt to move after hearing the rogue first attempt the attack. He gets hit, but he moved enough to prevent the otherwise fatal attack.
Important to remember that Ninjas were just well learned peasants.
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I came up with this mechanic for a one-shot I'm going to run, to see if it works. In the one-shot, all characters were required to have at least one level of Rogue (they are all special agents for the queen). It will work great against guards and such, but won't out-and-out kill the boss, IF I were to allow them to sneak up on him.
STEALTH KILL - Yes, I am allowing this, but with the following constrictions:
From when D&D wasn't cool, but we played it anyway. I got started when some geeky guys where I worked invited me to play with them and I gave it a try. My first character was a human cavalier named Tara the Giant Killer. We used to play once a month on a Saturday. We would start at 7 or so in the morning, and quit somewhere around midnight. Fun times and fond memories.
I would also rule that they must spend one round 'investigating' the target from no more than 30 ft away. You have to know exactly how he is moving, etc. to kill him.
Great idea!
From when D&D wasn't cool, but we played it anyway. I got started when some geeky guys where I worked invited me to play with them and I gave it a try. My first character was a human cavalier named Tara the Giant Killer. We used to play once a month on a Saturday. We would start at 7 or so in the morning, and quit somewhere around midnight. Fun times and fond memories.
If you actually break down what HP and AC means in the game, then anyone can perform a "Stealth Kill" or insta-kill in most situations so long as conditions are fulfilled. In other games, this was termed a Coup de Grace but in 5e there are mechanics built in that can be used and adapted for certain situations.
As written, characters that are Incapacitated, Paralyzed or Unconscious or Dying. All attacks are done with Advantage. Melee hits are Automatic Critical. Targets take two death Fails when it with a Critical Attack while in the Dying state.
From this, can we infer that the Creators intended these states to be deadly to be in. That having these befall you or anyone else is to be at death's door. Without over-complicating rules that negate AC, rules are put in place that would permit AC to be effectively overlooked. Moreover, the right situation would make the death absolute.
Anything else would need a damn good reason why a person with a knife to someone's throat can't slit their throat open and kill them.
It's my advise to not make your players jump through hoops. If they act in a way that would make sense, then let them make the instant kill. Don't want them to? Then give a good reason why not. For example: Chainmail is very hard to cut through and most people would wear a chain mail coif that covers their head and upper shoulder regions leaving only their faces exposed. You would need a very specific set of instances to cut through it.
On the other hand, if a player restrains someone by getting their arms or hands around the person's head or neck (and it makes sense with their Str or abilities) then them being able to snap the person's neck have to be a given. They have the absolute advantage. Don't force them to widdle down HP.
The situations I"m specifically covering deal with sneaking up behind someone, or someone who is sleeping, and slitting their throat. There are a great many situations where I'd have to change the mechanic to involve those differences.
From when D&D wasn't cool, but we played it anyway. I got started when some geeky guys where I worked invited me to play with them and I gave it a try. My first character was a human cavalier named Tara the Giant Killer. We used to play once a month on a Saturday. We would start at 7 or so in the morning, and quit somewhere around midnight. Fun times and fond memories.
I think this is a case where you're letting combat mechanics get in the way of things that aren't really combat. These actions would just be a stealth check in my campaign. If you succeed - dead. If not - initiative.
And the next day any surviving guards are at the armorer getting gorgets made.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I can't decide if a stealth kill should be more thematic or mechanical. One thing that would have been interesting is if they would have created more conditions that allow critical hits or damage bonus modifiers.
I believe the issue might be that people forget stealth kills are just fine by itself. A level 1 pc can stealth kill a commoner pretty much guaranteed. A level 1 rogue can sneak attack kill up to bandits, nobles, guards, cultists, and acolytes. But it's important to remember the other humanoids are professionals and a level 1 PC is just an amateur. A gladiator could get directly hit but moved his neck just in the nick of time to avoid anything fatal, it may only hit his clavicle. Even a priest is a 5th level spellcaster, meaning a priest can be considered "A Hero of the Realm."
That's not to say a rogue dedicated to insta-killing, an assassin, can't instakill above their paygrade. Crits double sneak attack, dooming even the professionals at level 3. Sneak attacking a sleeping NPC is also an autocrit and usually kills them.
If you're struggling to figure out how a sleeping NPC can avoid getting their neck slit, imagine they wake up and attempt to move after hearing the rogue first attempt the attack. He gets hit, but he moved enough to prevent the otherwise fatal attack.
One thing we keep in mind fof my gaming group is: If your characters can do it, so can an NPC. As a matter of fact, the most trouble we've ever been in was getting ambushed by a Group of Goblins that got Surprise, Advantage and Crits against our sleeping party members.
Important to remember that Ninjas were just well learned peasants.